Jeju Island, South Korea

Jeju island is a volcanic island south of the subtropical Korean peninsula . It is the largest South Korean island, and was also known Quelpart known. Their territory was in 1946 administratively by the province of Jeollanam-do is cut off and since then the smallest province (since July 1, 2006 Special Autonomy Province) of South Korea .

jeju island

The island consists of volcanic materials, which from Mount Halla come, with 1,950 meters the highest mountain in South Korea. This extinct volcano is located in the center of the island and has a crater lake. The Mountain and the surrounding area is a National Park. Hundreds of volcanically formed hills with many lava tunnels give the landscape a unique atmosphere. Jeju is also the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly into the sea.

The provincial capital is Jeju-si in the north of the island. The island itself is located in the Korea Strait , southwest of Jeollanam-do . The province also includes 26 small islands that lie near the main island. Although the island is strategically located, the ports are not expanded. This is because the flat beaches with underwater rocks, which are dangerous to shipping. The main port of the island lies in the city of Jeju in the north.

The Koreans are proud of the island of Jeju, but they regard the island as a gem. The subtropical island attracts many national tourists and is very popular as a destination for weddings (see also Loveland ). Visitors to the South Korean resort island of the sea are sometimes surprised by a whistling sound that sounds the whistle of a locomotive in the distance like. Term, it is about the so-called Sumbisori that the Haenyeo emit when they emerge from the sea and blow out before the dive inhaled air. Haenyeo – which means “sea women” – are called the nearly six thousand islanders, who is still on Jeju the traditional business of diving to pursue seafood. You get algae, snails, clams and other shellfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers, as well as from the sea floor. For this they dive without breathing apparatus, but with a wetsuit, mask and fins, up to 20 meters deep.

The Jeju Island is the Koreans as a mysterious, mythical island. Until about 100 years, the 85-kilometer was located south of the Korean mainland island largely cut off from the outside world. The main contact with the outside represented exiles who had been deported, mainly for political reasons to Jeju. The traditional shamanistic religions have survived to this day on the island. Still here are some 18,000 different deities are worshiped.

The subtropical climate makes Jeju also important for the Korean agricultural sector. Especially oranges and mushrooms are exported. The tourism has developed since the 1970 years and is increasingly the main source of income. The provincial flower is the rhododendron rhododendron weyrichii ( Chamkkot ). The tree is the province’s Campherbaum Cinnamomum camphora siebold ( Noknamu ). The bird is the province’s Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos quelpartensis .